A Taste of Spring novel Chapter 42

Dez didn't knock on Fallon's door. He just entered. He strolled inside as he stared at his friend who was on the phone as if he owned the building. He took a seat in one of the chairs facing Fallon then crossed his ankle over his leg.

"He's here Rosaline, thank you." Fallen spoke into the phone receiver as he pinned Dezmond with a "What the Fuck" gaze. He placed the receiver on the hook then stood and walked over to his office door and closed it. "What are you doing here, Dez?"

"Oh, I don't know. If you would answer my damn calls I wouldn't be here." It wasn't as if he liked it here. He hated the recognition he got when he came to the office, and he actually tried to avoid in-office meetings as much as possible, opting instead for conference calls and next day post.

"I've been busy." Fallon walked around his desk and sat in his high back chair.

"Bullshit."

Fallon sucked his teeth.

It was a clear sign that Dez was right. Something was bothering Fallon, something he didn't want to share with Dez. If his avoiding Dez for almost an entire week wasn't proof enough, Fallon was also avoiding his mother.

"Maddie says you're not answering for her either. You always answer your mother's calls."

"I said I'm busy. What the hell don't you understand about being busy?" Fallon picked up some documents from his desk and started reading over them.

"Too busy for your own mother?" Dez dropped his resting foot to the floor and leaned forward. "Bullshit," he repeated as he pulled the documents from Fallon's hands.

Fallon grasped for his papers but Dez held them out of his reach. "What is your problem? I say I'm busy and you storm into my office like a child. You say you're busy and I just have to accept it."

Dez frowned. "This isn't about me spending time with Spring, is it? She's been gone a whole week and still, you're avoiding me."

"Give me the papers," Fallon demanded.

"It is, isn't it?" Dez placed the papers down. He sat back in the chair. "You didn't mind when I blew you off for Audrey but, Spring you do. Why is it that you don't like her?"

"Audrey was better."

"You hated Audrey!" The last time he had Fallon and Audrey together the party's fireworks were second to the explosive argument between the two.

"I didn't hate her. She and I were friendly enough," Fallon said.

"But you can't be friends with Spring?"

"She's different."

"How so?" Dez watched as his friend's expression changed from irritation to confusion. (What the hell is going on?) "Did you know her before I met her or something?"

Fallon looked down then said, "Look, I have a meeting-"

Fallon was acting as if...

"Are you kidding me?" Dez stood. He rubbed his hand over his face, resting his palm over his mouth for a second before looking up at the ceiling. Laughing bitterly, he focused on Fallon. "You hooked up with Spring." He laughed again, feeling nothing akin to humor. "Tell me this, was it before or after the ball."

"Really?" Fallon stood and pointed to his office door. "Get the hell out of my office, Dez."

Dez walked around the large stainless steel and smoked glass desk and faced off with his friend. He couldn't believe it.

(Can't I though.)

Fallon wasn't a saint. In fact, he was the man you didn't introduce to your sister or mother. But Dez thought their friendship was beyond Fallon's carnal desires. Man was he wrong.

Sooner or later, everyone fucked you over. His chest drummed as he balled his fist. "Is Bad Ass Fallon Tate not going to own up to his shit?"

Fallon moved into Dez's personal space. Almost nose to nose, Fallon being the taller one, he said, "Get the hell out of my office, Dezmond, before..."

Whatever he was about to say fell away. Fallon smiled, bit his lip, then moved to turn around but Dez took hold of his shoulder with one hand and swung with his other. Dez's balled fist connected with Fallon's lower lip and jaw.

Fallon stumbled back as he clutched his jaw. His tongue snaked out and licked his bloody lip. "You fucking hit me. Me!" Fallon yelled, "Over a whore." Fallon moved toward Dez in a way Dez saw many times before. His ex-friend was in fight mode.

"She wasn't a whore until you touched her," Dez yelled back as he raised his fists to fight back. He wasn't a brawler like Fallon, and ten to one he was going to get his ass handed to him, but he wasn't backing down.

Fallon stopped in front of Dez. His hands fell to his sides but his anger was evident in the slant of his brows and the curl of his lip. "You want me to own up, asshole," Fallon demanded. "Your perfect woman is an escort. I hired her to..." he threw up air quotes as he leaned into Dez's face, "lift your fucking spirits. But she lifted that and your dick it seems."